The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-26

tion of all things useful to themselves is con
tinued. One By one they rapidly die, and in a
few years they will cease to exist"
The Doctor was much impressed with this
story of a national decay through intoxication,
and EXPRESSED wish that he might See the peo-
pie At their orgies. 1t easily accomplished,
the native said and not long after they moored
the raft for the night at the principal village of
the doomed tribe The Doctor sent word of his
arrival to the King. and waited for command
10 approach the val presence. 1t WAS long be-
fore IL came. but finally. about half-past 3. a
messenger came to the raft bearing a gourd of
wine as offering. and saying that presently
the king would receive the white man. little
later DR.. Harrison went mp the bank and ap-
preached the hut hardly distin guished from the
squalor of the others In the village, where the
king sat- He stupid, cruet-looking At
rican sitting a log under his awning. very
drunk. The Doctor made profound salaams
and addressed him, through an interpreter, with
friendly ereeting.
'Gnod.a granted the king, 'but has the white
man drunk my wine2"
oh king" responded the Doctor, ''the
white man drinks wine of any kind Be
pleased, therefore, TO accept his friendship all
the more kindly while he uses not your gift"
The king vastly displeased. and few into
a rage He insisted that all men in his country
knew the taste of wine and its pleasures. and no
one was true friend of the land who elected
it's choicest fruit. And when the Doctor still
refused to drink the king to his feet
steadily, staggered to post of his hut. and.
leaning heavily upon it, called in loud hut
broken tones that the stranger should be in
stantiy put to death. The interpreter. VINO IN
derstood the command, did not wait to translate
It, but picked the Doctor mp in his arms and ran
with him TO the river, followed by the ether ma
tives who We're serving as the white mans crew.
1t was an easy retreat. for SO STEPPED in wine
were the kings attendants that they could make
but stupid pursuit. Once ON the raft, it was
pushed out into mid-stream beyond the reach of
missiles. and thore anchored. From that point
of observation the Doctor saw the orgy of the
evening. The people had been reused from their
n fight.
and flock d about the kings hut Great meas
ures of wine were produced which they drank
with ardor And as 1t worked upon them they
broke ont in bowls which might be meant for
bacchanaan songs There is no song in the
world by the way. which is more widely known
than I'VE Won't Go Home till Morning." and
posed the natives we're singing translation of
it his chief guide responded cravely:
Aye. but when the morning comes they will
have no homes to go to-"
And so it soon appeared for in the gathering
dusk the Doctor could them getting more
and more wild. and after a time they set out in
town to another. leveling the poor dwellings
they went, and raising, meantime, enough
racket to wake the dead. And when one more
sober or less drunk than the rest attempted to
stay their hands at his own house they fell upon
him and killed him brutality, and left his body
whore 1t fell.
When tho Doctor within q few miles of
" am bango his rafters deserted him, and he had
once more to take up his journey foot.
Arrived at that village, which is in the country
OF the Bakongos, he saw a strange spectacle,
one, however, which is somewhat common to
the travellers in this continent. 1t
cution. The manner of it was similar to that
practced in many savage tribes the world over.
over. The culpriu or victim was kneeling on the
ground when the Doctor arrived. his hands and
feet bound. His neck was entwined with the
forked branches of a tree-top that had been
bent over until it reached the ground. It was
held IN that position by a dozen more slaves.
hold.
tree. springing up to its original position. took
with it the body of the victim, effectually break
ing his neck in the rise DR. Harrison sent his
chief enide to learn the cause of the execution.
and when he returned he told this dismal ro-
nance:
The victim was young man named Mbando. :
kings body guard. His official duties brought
him frequently into view of the kings daughter
Fwalla The natural result followed The
young guard fell desperately in love with
Fwaa and devoured her presence with his eyes
whenever she was near 1t seemed unGoubted
hat the girl returned his ardor, for she took
very possible opportunity to be near him. yet
hey never spoke a word together Great hopes
arose in the heart of NJ haudo. He thought that
he time might come when he could do the king
some extraordinary service and thus gain the
privilege of asking for the hand of Fwalla. But
,re this time occurred, for the tribe
,eace. having conquered the depraved drunkards
u the tribe down the river, one of the high
iefs and favorts of tho king brought gifts
md laid them before the kings house in token
If his suit for Fwalla The girl. of course. was
lot consulted at all in the matter. and the king
old the chief that his suit would probably be
avorably considered. for although little time is
wasted in Africa in preparing for a wedding, the
ling never moves hastily, as it would not COM
.ort we'll with his dignity. Now Mbando, hav-
ng heard of the gifts brought by the chief, was
orely troubled. for all his possessions would
lot equal the preliminary offerings made by his
powerful rival. But he knew that the girl was
esirous of him for her husband. and he ac-
nj limo w RI ha fast
1e Ioamsd abroad at night. and going to the
lace of chief several miles distant, picked out
rom his sheep, and g"ats. and cattle the finest
f each, and in the morning returned and drove
hem TO the door of the kings house It made
he king open his eyes wide with wonder. and he
vas nightly pleased He knew not of the
heft. and accepted the gifts gladly. and declared
hat both suitors stood so we'll in his eyes that
% knew not which one to choose. This but
TIRED more deeply the young Mbandos wild
ope, and that night after eating his supper,
he chief, Mbandos rival. died in horrible agony
he king erieved and suspicious. Mbapdo
ad hoped that he would at once give Fwalla
O the surviving sutton before the theft should
70 discovered, but the king was wiser than
hat. He proclaimed that the chief had been
oisoned. which was indeed the case, and that
he murderer should be instantly beheaded when
aught This meant that all in the tribe
7ere in danger, for at least one would have to
lie to expiate the crime. And while they were
ct in anxiety the chief from distance came TO
he king to complain of the theft, and when the
casts the chief once recognized several of his
nimals He knew not what to say for fear of
Tending the king. but the king relieved him at
nee by saying that that was clear evidence that
he theft had been committed by the murderer
( the suitor chief. The medicine men were put
D work. and they speedily convicted Mbando of
9th crimes, and he was accordingly condemned
D instant death It is said, indeed, that Fwalla
ried to prevail upon the king to spare the young
ian-a rare thing for the girls of this land do
but the king was mighty wroth and would not
star fn E 1tada
ave just seen. but the king keeps the stolen
nimals."
The guide had scarcely finished his story when
shout arose from the people who remained
bout the place of execution. watching the body
angling in the air. A girl was running across
no ground toward the river. She had come
rom the kings house.
at is Fwa'la" was the general cry. and hun.
reds set in pursuit But she had a long /
lad on them, and rapidly approached the river
ank She made straight for a tree that over
ung the water and. having come to it. climbed |
pom its trunk with astonishing agility. Before
1e crowd of pursuers had reached the spot she